mReview: Toyota Camry Hybrid – A Business Class

The new Toyota Camry Hybrid boasts a more refined exterior, while the upgrades to its interior are a business class in how to bridge the gap between executive and premium.

The Camry nameplate has been a quintessential household name for quite a few generations - owning one was a symbol that one had achieved enough in life to not be driving in just a C-segment sedan. 

We all know an uncle with a gold Rolex who drives a Camry, but with this latest iteration, the Camry isn't just an executive uncle car any more. Instead, it has evolved into a quasi-premium offering with a dynamic drive.

From the exterior, the new Camry Hybrid sports a far cleaner design than the outgoing model, boasting Toyota's latest Hammerhead grille design, which flows into a pair of sleek headlights. Whereas the previous-generation Camry's felt a little too try-hard to keep up a youthful vibe, with streaks and cuts running down from the rear tail-lights, this new Camry cleans up pretty well to feature an uncluttered design, which draws attention to the new and slimmer tail-lights. 

Overall, the new Camry appears more sleek and dignified, compared to the outgoing model, which felt like it had too many design elements.

Classy and well-equipped dashboard, but the driver needs some time to master all the menus.

The interior of the Camry Hybrid is top-class as well, with a beautiful black and brown two-tone theme that even features suede accents. Up front, a new 12.3-inch infotainment display takes centre stage. Unlike in the previous-generation Camry that featured a 2-DIN touchscreen unit that looked as though it was an aftermarket installation, this new model features an integrated system that flows much better across the dashboard.

The driver will get to enjoy Apple CarPlay (wireless), Android Auto (wired), charging ports, a wireless charger, auto lights, auto wipers, a heads-up display, a digital rear view mirror, heated and ventilated seats, and a JBL sound system, amongst other features. 

Indeed, the Camry Hybrid is chock-full of features, and it seems that the only missing item is a tyre pressure monitoring system, although to point that out feels like nitpicking given the plethora of equipment you're getting.

Nine-speaker JBL hi-fi is part of the Camry's excellent infotainment.

I do take issue with the interface of the infotainment and the digital dash, however. While everything is well laid-out, getting to the settings and accessing various options does feel quite complicated - there are quite a lot of sub-menus, and it does take some learning in order to be used to the system.

New Camry backseat is like a Lexus deluxe sedan in space, comfort and amenities.

Second-row passengers enjoy ample headroom and legroom, and impressively, the centre armrest folds down to reveal touch-sensitive controls for the climate, infotainment system, rear electric blind, as well as the seat recliner. Yes, the rear seats of the new Toyota Camry electrically recline!

From a purely specs-sheet perspective, it feels like there is very little distinguishing the new Camry Hybrid from its more aspirational cousin, the Lexus ES300h (which costs about $100,000 more). Of course, the Lexus still trumps the Camry in its execution - don't expect the Camry to give you the same level of plushness and solidity as the ES, although once again, for a car that is $100,000 cheaper, the Camry is providing premium luxury car features at executive car prices.

Camry Hybrid is easy to drive and comfortable on the move, but not as refined as Lexus ES300h.

The $100,000 price gap between the Camry Hybrid and the Lexus ES300h is evident when it comes to the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) department. 

The Camry doesn't do as well in NVH as I expected, with a not insignificant amount of wind and road noise transferring into the cabin from 80km/h onwards. That, paired to the constant CVT drone when prodding the throttle for more acceleration, detracts from the otherwise very pleasant experience in the Camry.

With a 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain, the Camry Hybrid does 0-100km/h in just 7.2 seconds, which is all the more impressive considering that this figure trumps that of the BMW 520i and Mercedes-Benz E200! 

However, don't expect the Camry to be a sharp handler. The suspension is still very much tuned for comfort. One can feel the sophisticated front MacPherson struts and rear multi-links working to soak up road imperfections, yet if you put the car through a corner, it proves to be planted once it weighs up after giving you some suspension travel to soften the directional changes. In sum, the Camry Hybrid provides a ride that is comfortable, but not wallowy.

Whereas the previous generation of Toyota's signature businessman-sedan seemed to be more about style, trying perhaps a bit too hard with design flourishes to appear youthful and dynamic, the new Camry Hybrid is certainly more about substance - with a significantly upgraded interior and more onboard features, along with sleeker and more elegant outlook. 

The new Toyota Camry Hybrid is truly a business class in showing how an executive car can be improved to premium luxury levels.

Read More: mReview: Mercedes-Benz E200 Exclusive – E For Evolution

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